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High Entia
The High Entia (English dub: ) are a race of beings in Xenoblade Chronicles. They reside on the head of Bionis. The Nopon call them "Bird People". Physical appearance High Entia are humanoid in appearance and are similar to Homs in many ways. Their main visual difference is the wings on the side of their heads, giving them an almost angelic appearance. Some are shown to be able to fly with these wings, such as Tyrea during Melancholy Tyrea. High Entia have a longer lifespan than Homs, with the elderly reaching three to four centuries. They are also capable of using ether without any catalyst of any sort, by gathering it from the atmosphere around them. In the distant past, the High Entia appeared differently than they do now, appearing more bestial as well as being much larger in size and stature, more resembling Phoenix-type Telethia than Homs. The War God Statue as well as the statues at Prison Gate on Prison Island and inside Three Sage Summit at Valak Mountain depict this more ancient appearance. Relationships The High Entia are the most technologically advanced civilization on Bionis. High Entia are very aloof and prefer not to engage in other races' wars and battles. As such, they were not present during the Battle of Sword Valley. Their existence was kept a secret to most Homs (except Dickson, though this is for a different reason) and are regarded as mythical. However, Nopon are apparently knowledgeable about the High Entia race and Chief Dunga is actually good friends with Melia. This could be because the Nopon are very close to the High Entia, due to Makna Forest being underneath the Eryth Sea. There is a small Nopon population living within their capital. It is revealed that there is some ethnic diversity on their society, with High Entia taking in Homs partners. Because of this, there are many half High Entia, half Homs in their city, with shorter wings as their trademark. However, no Homs are discovered during the party's stay in Alcamoth aside from Alvis. Habitat ]] During the story, Dickson shows that he knows much about the High Entia race. In Satorl Marsh he says that, many years ago, the High Entia lived there. It turns out that the High Entia live at the Eryth Sea, within their capital, Alcamoth. When the archaeologist Talia learns that the original War God Statue is at La Luz Church on Valak Mountain, she concludes that High Entia must have once lived in that region as well, also considering the various ruins of High Entia design. She theorises that the area once had a more hospitable climate, but became uninhabitable for High Entia after Bionis moved its body in the distant past. Telethia Gene When Bionis slays Mechonis, Lorithia and Dickson reveal that in the High Entia there is a "Telethia Gene" — one that can mutate High Entia into Telethia. The mechanism that triggers transformation is a significantly massive exposure to ether, more than most High Entia are ever exposed to in their lives. Zanza later reveals that it is more accurate to say that the Telethia are the true form of the High Entia, and originally existed only as Telethia, cast off as mere cells from his body. He gave them sentience and allowed them to take humanoid form because he wanted friends. The gene exists for the sole purpose of activating all pure-blooded High Entia to revert to Telethia and be instrumental in forcibly mass-harvesting all life ether from the surface of Bionis and giving it to Zanza. No longer desiring friendship with anyone, he now believes that giving them sentience was a mistake, and that no sentience on Bionis — including the Telethia as High Entia — should have ever been allowed to exist. Kallian reveals to Melia that it was always the fate of High Entia to become Telethia. In the distant past they already knew this, and also that High Entia with any Homs ancestors would never transform. The Empire intentionally started the Homs intermarriage program, through the Homs Second Consort of each Emperor, to dilute the bloodline and sire enough non-pure High Entia so that their race could still survive and live on after the rest of their people's inevitable reversion to Telethia. Melia's mother was one such Homs Second Consort, and both Sorean and Kallian considered Melia the hope of their people, as both men knew their fate would be sealed if the transformation event were to occur in their lifetimes, but Melia could still live on. After the events of Mechonis Core, Zanza triggered the event by flooding Alcamoth with thick ether, and the majority of High Entia abruptly became Telethia. It was said that the part-Homs were never numerous compared to pure-bloods. But with the event and the loss of mind and sentience in Telethia, there was no reasonable hope for the Telethia to regain their existence as High Entia, and they must all be put out of their misery or risk significant destruction of life in their wake. This effectively made the part-Homs the only High Entia people remaining, with their Telethia Gene permanently deactivated by virtue of having Homs ancestors. However, there is a straggler High Entia underneath the Centre Gate in Eryth Sea that claims that if she was in the city she would have turned into a Telethia herself. It should be noted that Lorithia had done experiments on Telethia and demonstrated limited control over them. In a cutscene she is seen in her Telethia Laboratory with multiple Telethia inside glass tubes. This is in agreement with the rumor, stated by a High Entia NPC in Alcamoth, that there are secret experiments conducted on live people somewhere hidden and locked away. It is no coincidence that near the Telethia Laboratory the Solidum Telethia is fought being released from a nearby ceiling hole. Afterwards, Lorithia converses with AlvisLorithia converses with Alvis about receiving the test data they needed about how Shulk and party cannot be stopped by such a Telethia. It is then no surprise when finally visiting the Telethia Laboratory itself to see both the Furious Jozan and the glass tubes broken. Lorithia also created the Havres flying vehicles the High Entia use when battling over Sword Valley, which are later shown to exert large concentrations of ether to transform the nearby High Entia. Plans of the Progenitor of Antiqua When visiting the High Entia Tomb for the first time, insight is given that, for thousands of years, the High Entia have attempted to genetically destroy their Telethia Gene by integrating with Homs when procreating. The removal of this Telethia Gene is estimated to be achievable within eight generations. During Melia's test in the High Entia Tomb she encounters a voice that describes Melia as their descendant. In response, Melia questions if the voice is that of her ancestor who died thousands of years ago, the progenitor of the Antiqua (which is the royal High-Entia family). The voice responds that it is a machine that is a recreation of this ancestor, possessing this ancestor's thoughts and speech. During the conversation between Melia and this machine, it states the following: :"The results of the gene analysis show Homs gene integration of 80%. :Estimations suggest evolution within eight generations. :Our wishes are almost fulfilled." :"Our purpose, as decreed by the Bionis, is linked to our genetic sequence. :We have spent millennia analysing sequences to free ourselves from the curse. :Only a certain gene set will unlock the mechanism and set us free." :"It is you who will rule the High Entia, and likely be their last." This reveals that for thousands of years the High Entia have attempted to completely rid themselves of their Telethia gene by integrating their bloodlines with Homs, and they are nearly there, needing only eight more generations. Sadly, this machine states that Melia will most likely be the last High Entia ruler, inferring that it somehow knows the Bionis is awakening, and most High Entia will transform into Telethia, and the High Entia kingdom will cease to be. Only a few hints are given as to how long ago these plans were made by the progenitor of the Antiqua. After the first battle with Tyrea, Kallian mentions that "The Bionite Order was dissolved under the rule of the Emperor Lumian, 47th successor to the throne, due to its extreme practices", implying that this has continued for at least 47 generations. A High Entia is seen next to a Giant during a flashback in the cutscene when entering the top floor of the central tower in Agniratha, establishing that High Entia did exist before the first battle of Mechonis and Bionis. Miqol, who witnessed the original fight between Mechonis and Bionis, is said to be 6,000 years old. If the progenitor of Antiqua was alive at that time, this implies that this plan has been in motion for a minimum of 6,000 years. However, it is also possible that the progenitor of Antiqua (not necessarily the High Entia) only implemented the consort system after generations of research. Blood Purity Most High Entia are pure-blooded, and part-Homs have never been numerous. Despite the longstanding official program of the Emperor marrying a Homs as his Second Consort, there is a High Entia social stigma in showing signs of Homs ancestry, which is why Melia initially always veiled her noticeably short wings — this also had the effect of having people initially confuse her for an ordinary Homs. Many High Entia, such as Yumea, Tyrea, Lorithia, and Lesunia, are openly racist against those who are not pure High Entia. Lesunia goes as far as refusing to hold a conversation with anyone who is not, although this changes during Believing Again. When Tyrea is revealed to be part-Homs despite having a pure-blooded appearance, Melia explains that many part-Homs retain all their superficial High Entia traits, including full-length wings on their ears. As demonstrated by the surviving High Entia documented in the Affinity Chart, these High Entia also live lives just as long as pure-bloods. As shown with Don Argentis and Tyrea, blood purity remains a highly relevant cultural construct among the surviving High Entia, even though there are no pure-bloods remaining who haven't become Telethia. After being invited to Colony 6, Don Argentis readily admits his family is part-Homs. But Tyrea is deeply "accultured" as a pure-blood, and she can never admit that she is not one even after having learnt it herself from her birth mother Yumea, and then even surviving the transformation event intact when Yumea did not. She even continues to regard Melia as filthy, even while giving Melia grudging thanks for ending Yumea's suffering. With blood purity no longer being possible and becoming moot as a fact of High Entia life, part of Tyrea's attitude may be that she is still relatively purer in ancestry than Melia. Melia is 50% Homs by way of her pure High Entia father and her ordinary Homs mother. But Tyrea is less than 100% and greater than 50% by way of her part-Homs High Entia father and her pure High Entia mother. This was still considered intolerable to the fanatical Bionite Order, who expelled Tyrea's father as soon as they learnt that he was not pure. Yumea kept Tyrea regardless, but Tyrea only learnt the truth during the events shortly before Mechonis Core. Whether Lorithia is actually pure-blooded is more ambiguous, as she may have been specifically protected from the transformation event as one of Zanza's disciples. But she was still able to merge with the Kallian as a Telethia in the Bionis' Interior, which raises even more questions. It should be noted that this is possibly the result of Lorithia's scientific knowledge as a result of experiments on Telethia. This may also be due to the power Lorithia was granted as a disciple of Zanza, which may have allowed her to control and merge with Telethia. Refugees After the Telethia gene is activated, the remaining High Entia become refugees scattered all over Bionis. Some of these refugees give quests, including one at the Sororal Statues in Satorl Marsh that gives Challenge. Playable High Entia * Melia Supporting Characters and Antagonists * Kallian * Sorean * Lorithia * Tyrea * Yumea Enemies The following High Entia are fought during the course of the story. All of them are Story-Event enemies. * Guard Entia * Lorithia * Scout Entia * Tyrea * Wizard Entia Fate of the High Entia Zanza's abrupt transformation of the pure-blooded High Entia into Telethia plunged their society into chaos. Most transformed, some died during the chaos of the event, some survived as unchanged High Entia but became refugees, and the fates of some were unknown. Alcamoth was evacuated and became infested with Telethia. Telethia * Arielle * Donnis * Galdo * Galvin * Kaelin * Kallian * Lecrough * Lesunia * Ricoth * Vol'aren * Yumea Died * Lar'shen * Naroth * Ruthan Missing * Caul * Lunara * Merisa * Mir'leiz Survivors In addition to named characters, various anonymous High Entia refugees can be found in various places of refuge around Bionis. Eryth Sea Most refugees in the Eryth Sea are at the Ether Plant. Shalen and many of her fellow lighthouse keepers never leave the Syrath Lighthouse. Depending on the active sidequest, Jarack can be found at either place. One unnamed straggler hid beneath the Centre Gate and survived there. Teelan, Vidian, and a few unnamed others were still trapped and hiding out in Alcamoth, needing to be rescued. * En Argentis (if not at Colony 6) * Jarack * Miriall * Shalen * Talia * Teelan (if rescued from Alcamoth) * Vidian (if rescued from Alcamoth) Frontier Village * Atael * Cian * Don Argentis (if not at Colony 6) Refugee Camp, Bionis' Leg * Elior * Talonyth (if not at Colony 6) * Ma'crish (if not at Colony 6) Colony 6 * Yumea's Maid (if defeated Mysterious Telethia) Satorl Marsh * Rozeal * Scarlen * Jer'ell (if not at Colony 6) * Zel Argentis (if not at Colony 6) Harict Chapel, Valak Mountain * Kurralth * Zain * Yura (if not at Colony 6) Colony 6 Migrants Seven High Entia NPCs can be invited to the Colony 6. * Don Argentis * En Argentis * Jer'ell * Ma'crish * Talonyth * Yura * Zel Argentis Others * Lorithia * Melia * Tyrea Trivia * The name "High Entia" is derived from the Latin word "ens" (one plural form is "entia"), from which the word "entity" is also derived. * If the party speaks to an Alcamoth Citizen next to a fountain outside the Imperial Palace at night, he will tell them that High Entia usually do not eat things with vegetables in them. Gallery Official Art Sorean.png|Emperor Sorean Kallian.png|Melias's brother, Kallian Tyrea-art.png|An agent of the Bionite Order, Tyrea Lorithia.png|Lorithia Melia.png|Melia Concept Art High entia concepts.jpg|High Entia NPCs Kallian concept.jpg|Kallian Lorithia concept.jpg|Lorithia Sorean yumea concepts.jpg|Sorean and Yumea Alvis tyrea concepts.jpg|Alvis (a Homs) and Tyrea References Category:XC1 Races Category:Bionis Life Category:High Entia